Canadian scientist among latest Plastics Hall of Fame inductees

A Canadian scientist is among the latest inductees in the Plastics Hall of Fame.

Chul B. Caleb Park, a distinguished professor at the University of Toronto, is a global leader in polymer foaming technologies, driving the production of eco-friendly insulation foam; and is one of a new group of 18 inductees. During his doctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Park co-invented the first-generation MuCell injection molding and extrusion technologies. “These innovations have revolutionized plastic manufacturing by reducing material use, improving product performance, and minimizing environmental impact,” Plastics Hall of Fame officials said. “His pioneering work on using supercritical CO₂ as a sustainable blowing agent significantly contributed to the elimination of ozone-depleting substances in insulation foam production.”

At the University of Toronto, Park founded the Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory, now a globally recognized centre of excellence in polymer research. He has mentored over 300 researchers, including nearly 100 PhD students, and secured more than CA$50 million in research funding. His collaborations with industry partners have led to numerous patented technologies, including open-cell recyclable foams, rotomolded foams, and graphene-based nanocomposites. Many innovations have been successfully commercialized and licensed worldwide, from footwear giants like Crocs to global electronics and materials companies.

Members of the new Class of 2025 will be inducted Oct. 7 at the K 2025 trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. In addition to Dr. Park, they are:

• Helmut Bacher, Helmuth Schulz, and Georg Wendelin, founders of Erema Group, a plastics recycling technology company.
• Erwin Bürkle, Krauss Maffei Technologies GmbH, former head of injection molding technology.
• Norm Fowler, Xerox Corp., strategic initiative Lean Six Sigma and member of the Society of Plastics Engineers international executive committee, 1990-2000.
• Yukio Iimura, former chairman and CEO of Shibaura Machine Co. Ltd., has made groundbreaking advances in injection molding technology.
• Bill Knight, Dow Inc., was a key player in recognizing and developing the unique material science defining Dow’s polyethylene (PE) technology, Insite technology, which has defined Dow’s PE business.
• Robert Langer, MIT, pioneered drug delivery and tissue engineering by growing transplantable tissue in vitro on biodegradable plastic scaffolding.
• Matthew Naitove, the chief editor of Plastics Technology magazine, has dedicated his professional career to reporting on new technology, trends and business opportunities for plastics processors.
• Irene Schwarz, Engel Group, was an extraordinary leader of the company and a defining presence in Engel’s history.
• Charles Sewell, founder of CKS Packaging Inc., is the leader of a manufacturer and global supplier of extrusion blow and injection molded rigid plastic containers.
• Bill Stavropoulos, twice CEO at Dow, transformed the company by leading a significant restructuring and acquisition of Union Carbide, shifting from a geographic organization to 15 global business units, and led technology, capacity and market advancements for Dow’s polyethylene franchise.
• Peter Steinbeck, Windmöller & Hölscher Group, former CEO of the 155-year-old family-owned German company that manufactures machinery to produce flexible packaging.
• William Young, Plastipak Packaging Inc., was chairman of the board of directors and president and CEO of a world leader in the design, manufacturing and recycling of rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, industrial, aerosol and consumer cleaning products industries.

The Plastics Hall of Fame is also inducting three historical figures from the industry’s past. “Many exceptionally qualified candidates from the early days of our industry lack a champion for their legacy during the election process,” the Hall of Fame said.

These historical inductees for the Class of 2025 died more than 25 years ago. They are:

• Otto Röhm and Otto Haas, Röhm and Haas Co., best known for Plexiglas, the flexible, strong, and transparent polymer patented and registered as a brand in 1933.
• Hans H. Wanders, Rawson Moulding Co., patented what is believed to be the first semi-automatic rotary molding press and was a charter member of Society of the Plastics Industry, now known as the Plastics Industry Association, and the Plastics Pioneers Association.

The Plastics Hall of Fame was founded in 1975. The new class brings Hall of Fame membership to 253 people from nine countries, including five Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, the group said.